Remnants of Alex drench northern Mexico, two die

A man sits Thursday amid a hurricane-damaged home in a beach area in northeastern Mexico, near the Texas border.

MATAMOROS, Mexico — The sprawling remains of Hurricane Alex drenched much of northern Mexico on Thursday, paralyzing the major city of Monterrey. At least two people were killed when dry rivers roared to life and highways turned into rushing streams.

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Hurricane Alex ripped off roofs, caused severe flooding and forced thousands of people to flee coastal fishing villages as it hit land Wednesday evening in the border state of Tamaulipas. Power and telephone service were down in several towns and cities.

The storm dissipated Thursday as it moved west to Nuevo Leon state, but it still caused major problems.

The dry Santa Catarina river that cuts through Monterrey roared to life, sweeping away cars and parts of rickety, wooden homes built along its path.

One man died when he was caught by a torrent of water along a six-lane highway, city Civil Protection director Pedro Trevino told Televisa Monterrey network. Another man was found drowned by the side of a creek.

Nuevo Leon state Gov. Rodrigo Medina de la Cruz told the Televisa he had ordered all schools closed and appealed for people to stay home from all but essential jobs. The U.S. Consulate in Monterrey also closed due to the storm.

De la Cruz said Alex had already dumped 16 inches of rain in some areas.

Schools were also canceled in Tamaulipas state, where cleanup efforts began and floodwaters started subsiding.

Crews swept up debris in Matamoros, a city across the border from Brownsville, Texas.

Most of the 2,500 people who stayed in shelters overnight boarded buses back to their coastal villages Thursday.